MIT Technology Review - foursquarehttp://www.technologyreview.com/tagged/foursquare/
enThe Rise of the New York Startup Scenehttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/428774/the-rise-of-the-new-york-startup-scene/
<p>A growing number of techies are calling New York City home, and investors are paying attention.</p><p>When Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai started building their location-sharing startup, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.foursquare.com/">Foursquare</a>, in 2008, they chose New York City for their headquarters, and Crowley’s kitchen table in the East Village served as their first workspace. “We never even had a conversation about, ‘the only way to make it succeed is to go to California—should we pack up our stuff?’ ” he says.</p>Mon, 20 Aug 2012 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices428774 at http://www.technologyreview.comUsing Foursquare Data to Redefine a Neighborhoodhttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/427650/using-foursquare-data-to-redefine-a-neighborhood/
<p>Carnegie Mellon researchers believe they can capture the essence of an area based on what Foursquare users do there.</p><p>Defining the makeup of a particular neighborhood can be tricky. Locals may agree on the general area and character of, say, Manhattan’s Upper West Side, but we all have different opinions about what really goes on there, or even what its precise boundaries are.</p>Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:38:00 +0000digitalservices427650 at http://www.technologyreview.comHow Companies Are Using Data from Foursquarehttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/424076/how-companies-are-using-data-from-foursquare/
<p>The location-based service might feel like a game to its users, but it’s producing worthwhile data for businesses.</p><p>When Foursquare began, it was easy to wonder what the point was beyond the game. It asked people to “check in” when visiting places like shops, bars, or restaurants and then gave them a chance to compete for virtual prizes, like badges and recognition as “mayor” after visiting a place more than anyone else. Now, with more than nine million users, Foursquare is beginning to prove its value to businesses. It is becoming the rare social-media service that lets them directly analyze whether promotions lead to sales.</p>Tue, 24 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices424076 at http://www.technologyreview.comIt's Good to Be the Mayorhttp://www.technologyreview.com/review/422853/its-good-to-be-the-mayor/
<p>Foursquare and other location-based social games on mobile phones can be compelling, but only when they harness the energy of countless offline games we’re already playing.</p><p>It’s an old retail trick: encourage people to buy things by turning consumption into a game. From the Green Stamps coupon program to frequent-flier miles, loyalty bonuses have been businesses’ way to reward customers in hopes of prodding them to buy even more. But now this technique is taking on a new and potentially more powerful form by exploiting the ubiquity of GPS-enabled smart phones and their users’ love of video games. More and more, businesses can use game elements—virtual points, levels, and challenges—to boost demand and shape consumer behavior. </p>Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000digitalservices422853 at http://www.technologyreview.comBringing Cell-Phone Location-Sensing Indoorshttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/420582/bringing-cell-phone-location-sensing-indoors/
<p>App pinpoints people inside shops without requiring them to “check in.”</p><p>Walk into the Best Buy on San Francisco’s Harrison Street, and the consumer electronics giant knows a potential customer has arrived: at least if you’re using the <a href="http://www.shopkick.com/" target="_blank">ShopKick</a> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/id383298204?mt=8" target="_blank">iPhone app</a> that launched earlier this month.</p>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000digitalservices420582 at http://www.technologyreview.com